1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to a tea bag press and container, and more particularly to a container to extract and collect the liquid essence from a wet tea bag.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of tea as a beverage is said to have been discovered in China around 2737 B.C. At that time, and for centuries thereafter, tea was brewed by pouring boiling water over loose tea. “Tea bags” were then invented in the United States in 1904, and since that time have been widely accepted for their enhanced preparation simplicity when compared with loose teas.
In producing tea bags, shredded and crushed tea leaves are dried, sorted and packed in a small envelope called a “tea bag”. To brew a cup of tea, the tea bag is traditionally placed in a container such as a tea cup, mug, or pot to which boiling water is applied, wherein after a period of “steeping” for one to about two minutes the tea beverage is ready for consumption. Steeping a tea bag for extended periods results in brewing a bitter tasting tea as the tannins begin to be extracted from the tea leaves. Therefore, it is preferred that the tea bag should be removed from the container if a bitter tasting brew is to be avoided. A string terminating in a label is typically affixed to the tea bag to facilitate removal from a brewing vessel, as well as for identification and marketing. Removal of a tea bag without a string usually requires the use of a utensil to dip into the tea to remove the bag from the brewing vessel.
As a consequence of the staining properties and the messy nature of a wet tea bag, a tea bag is often left in the tea cup rather than transferring it to another container, in spite of the bitter nature of the over-brewed tea. The containment of a wet tea bag presents a challenge to avoid dripping and a resulting puddle of tea liquid in a saucer, cup, dish or other container, along with associated tea stains. As a result, the typical tea brewing process is both unsightly and messy.
A common practice is to set a tea bag near the rim of the tea cup saucer to prevent transfer of dripping tea across a table or tray. In this case, the tea liquid will continue to seep from the bag and generally run to the center of the saucer where it forms a puddle. The surface tension of the tea will cause it to adhere to the bottom surface of the tea cup, wherein upon lifting the tea cup, the liquid on the bottom of the tea cup can readily drip on a table, linens, clothing, or other surfaces resulting in wetness and staining. In view of the above it will be generally appreciated that removing the tea bag from the cup typically constitutes a messy procedure.
Similarly, when a tea bag is contained in a saucer or other container, it “sits” in the tea drippings from the bag. Upon being picked up to brew a second or third cup of tea, or to dispose of the tea bag, it drips on the table, linens or anything which is under the dripping bag as it is moved.
In attempts to alleviate this messy situation, one practice is to place the tea bag on a spoon, wrap the string around the bag and spoon, and squeeze the remaining liquid by pulling the string, typically aided by the hands, to drain excess liquid tea essence into the cup. Some tea residues typically get on the hands in this process which can also be scalded with a hot tea bag, and the tea bag may even become airborne in response to incorrect or unstable pressure application from the string. Even this protracted process leaves a soggy tea bag on a spoon that needs to be placed on a dish or saucer to stop it from dripping on a table or tablecloth. The string can also tear the tea bag during the squeezing process creating a further mess. Tongs have also been utilized, in particular on stringless tea bags, to retrieve the tea bag and squeeze the remaining liquid, however, it will be appreciated that this process still results in leaving a soggy, unsightly, tea bag on the saucer.
Tea drinkers often prefer extracting additional liquid tea essence from a tea bag by squeezing it after it has been brewed. This liquid tea essence can be utilized to fortify the current beverage or brew additional beverage. Extracting the tea essence into a cup or mug can be a messy process with a spoon, tong or kitchen utensil. Furthermore, tea drinkers would often prefer to preserve the brewed tea bag in a moist state, with sufficient excess liquid removed to prevent leakage (or spoilage if the tea bag is to be saved for a longer period of time), until a subsequent cup of beverage is desired, wherein the tea bag is immersed in additional hot water to brew more beverage and then squeezed to extract remnant liquid tea essence.
A number of drawbacks exist with the removal, storage and reuse of a wet tea bag which have not been fully appreciated in the art, some of which have been described above. A solution to these drawbacks would preferably address transfer of the tea bag before over-brewing, drip-free removal, concealment of a used bag on the table top, and repetitive tea bag brewing for hot or cold beverages.
Therefore, a need exists for a combination tea bag press and container that will receive and conceal a wet tea bag and collect any liquid from the tea bag without dripping or tearing. Further, a container is needed that will hold a wet tea bag in a moist state and allow the drinker to extract tea essence to fortify a tea beverage or brew additional tea beverage. The present invention satisfies those needs, as well as others, and overcomes the deficiencies of previously developed tea handling apparatus and methods.